My Review: Better Homes and Gardens Clayton Court Patio Set – Is It Worth The $300?

It’s time to review the Better Homes and Gardens Clayton Court Patio Set, because there’s a tricky situation when it comes to its price.

The set itself doesn’t impress by anything at first sight. It has a basic iron design, it’s not very comfortable and it looks pretty cheap. However, things start to get interesting when it comes to price.

So does it make a good investment? Is it worth the money or it’s just an over-priced product?

I tried the set myself a couple of months ago, so everything I write in this review is based on my personal experience with it.

So Let’s Get To The Review

Product name: Clayton Court 5-Piece Patio Dining Set

Producer: Better Homes And Gardens

Price: $339.30 (At the time I published this article)

Cheapest place to buy: AMAZON

Worth buying?:It depends. If you’re buying the 3 piece version, you’re making a pretty good deal (only $150). However, if you want a 4 chairs set, I believe it’s way too expensive ($340)

My rating: 6.70/10

What I Liked About It

The set is very sturdy and doesn’t wobble easily, but it also depends of what kind of floor you have

Because of the iron fabric, it doesn’t get stained at all. Also, if you let it in the rain, it dries very fast

The assembly is very easy and one person should handle in less than 30 minutes. You get all the tools you need in the package. The pieces are pretty large and all you have to do it to put them one into another

It’s really cheap if you’re buying the 3 piece set

What I Didn’t Like About It

It doesn’t have a very beautiful design, if you ask me

The chairs aren’t comfortable at all. I scratched my back a lot of times on them. I also don’t recommend sitting on the chairs without the cushions, because they feel very harsh

The table isn’t as tall as it seems in the photos. It has about 25 inches, but the chairs are almost 20″, which makes it pretty hard to sit comfortably

Both the chairs and table are pretty heavy, so I don’t recommend moving them constantly. Luckily they have a plastic bottom so they don’t scratch the floor

It’s way too heavily packed and it takes a lot until you open the full package (lots of papers and wrappings)

The cushions started fading after 2 months (I kept them on the chairs all the time, I only took them inside when raining)

How To Put It Together

Estimated time:30 minutes if you work alone, but someone used to assembling piece can finish in 15 minutes

This are the tools you receive. Sorry for the bad photo quality

If there’s one thing that I really loved about this set, it’s sure its pieces. Putting them together was extremely easy, especially because there were only large pieces, no nails or anything.

Basically all you have to do is to attach the legs to the chair base, and later to the table top. All 4 legs of every chair are packed together, so you don’t add the wrong leg to the wrong chair.

Every leg has a plastic cap at the bottom, so it doesn’t scratch the floor. I wasn’t completely satisfied with those caps, because they seemed pretty light. But as long as you don’t pull the chairs a lot, they should last.

The set also came with a pack of tools, several screws and a screw driver. You can use your own if you like, but these were the perfect size for the set.

All in all, it didn’t take me longer than 30 minutes to finish with everything. So compared to other furniture items, BHG’s set was a real piece of cake.

That Fabric May Not Look Good, But It Lasts Well Enough

Material facts: It feels sturdy and heavy, doesn’t fade from the sun or rain, it cleans out easily and also dries out very fastly

You can’t tell by the picture, but this iron really behaves better than the average one

I don’t tend to like iron-made furniture pieces, simply because they have a feeling of old and cheap. In fact, iron does have a reputation of a cheap material, so it’s not just me that doesn’t regard these pieces well.

BHG’s iron does follow the rule. It feels harsh, heavy and it looks far from elegant. If you ask me, I wouldn’t say it’s a $340 set because it looks much cheaper.

However, if it doesn’t shine in looks, it has a few good points anyway.

Thanks to the harsh fabric, the set doesn’t fade from the sun rays, doesn’t get stained and it cleans out really easily. You don’t even have to use detergents, only water.

Also, the material dries out very fast. It didn’t happen only once to leave this set in the heavy rain. It did get wet, but it dried out much faster than my wooden chain, which isn’t a very cheap item either.

In my opinion, the iron fabric from this set isn’t the basic one we see everywhere. Though it looks exactly the same, it behaves much better. Besides, it doesn’t wobble and feels sturdy enough.

However, to me that doesn’t fully compensate the ugly design and the lack of comfort.

The Cushions Will Fade Away Eventually

Cushion facts: They are wide and comfortable, but they fade very badly in the sun. Rain can also damage them, so take them inside when you’re not using the set

That’s how my cushions looked like after 2 months

I’m not an expert at this chapter, but I wasn’t satisfied with the cushions of this set.

No matter if you buy a 3 or a 5 piece set, you have 2 options when it comes to color: green or red. I chose the last one, because it matched my backyard better, but I don’t think there is any difference in quality. The cushions have about 23 inches, so they fit the chairs perfectly.

However, my only problem with these cushions is durability. After less than 2 months since I installed the set, I noticed they were starting to fade, and pretty badly.

It do admit that it was my fault because I let them in the Arizona sun all summer. I didn’t bring the cushions inside, except the times when it was raining. However, I also let the chairs in the same place and they remained as before.

I don’t think the color has anything to so with it. I’m sure it would have been the same even with green cushions. They have the same fabric, so I’m sure they would have faded too.

That’s not a big problem, because you can replace them with any cushions. But if you’re planning to get this set, keep in mind to take them inside when you’re not using the set. They will still fade at one point, because they’re not quality cushions.

The Chairs Aren’t Very Comfortable

If there’s something that any furniture set should have, it’s surely comfort. And from this point of view, BHG’s set doesn’t literally shine.

Because of the heavy iron, the chairs feel sturdy, solid but also very harsh. That’s not very disturbing when you’re sitting, because there are the cushions at the bottom. No matter how bad they are, they still cover the rigid fabric and you don’t feel anything.

However, the problem appears when you’re laying on their back. Especially if it’s a hot summer day and you have a sleeveless shirt, as I did a few times. The heavy fabric did scratch my shoulders and I ended you sitting straight with my hands on the table. That’s not very pleasant either, because the table seems even harsher.

So if you ask me, these chairs aren’t the most comfortable ones I’ve seen. Sitting on them is totally fine, but laying back is what bothers me.

Obviously, there are solutions, like adding an extra cushion or placing any soft fabric at the back. If you like this kind of set, this problem can be solved.

Either A Taller Table, Or Some Lower Chairs Would Be Perfect

Construction facts: The table and the chairs are pretty close in height, so sitting comfortably is very hard

That’s not the best picture, but you can see that there’s no big difference between the chairs and the table in height

One of the things that bothers me most about this BHG set is that the table and the chairs are pretty close in height.

I thought it was just my impression, until I measured them up. The table is about 25 inches tall, while the chairs have a bit under 20″. The difference may seem big enough, but in reality, it’s not.

It’s impossible to sit cross legged at this table, unless you place your chair very far. If you’re eating or having a coffee, that would be very hard.

Even sitting in a normal position is hard, because your legs almost fill in that 5 inch difference. So it’s like you’re stuck between the chair and the table.

Unfortunately, the chairs can’t be adjusted, nor can the table. Obviously, a larger person couldn’t use this set, at least not comfortably. Though the chairs are sturdy enough, they’re also not very wide. For a dining set, both the chairs and the table could be a bit larger.

So if you ask me, this set is great for someone who is slim, or at most average in weight. I wouldn’t recommend it to a larger person by any reason.

It’s Expensive At First Sight, But You Can Make A Good Deal Of It

Price facts: The 5 piece set costs $350, while the 3 piece one costs only $150

If you’ve checked out the prices in outdoor furniture recently,you probably noticed that they’re over $100.

However, if you’re looking for a bistro set, you will probably have to pay around $100-$120 for the cheapest. It also depends how many pieces you want, but most people choose 5, table included.

Well, in this case, BHG’s set costs around $350. That is way too expensive for a set of this kind, in my opinion. It looks pretty basic and it has an iron fabric, so you can find a similar set for less than $300. If you ask me, the 5 piece set is definitely not worth it.

However, things change if we’re talking about the 3 piece set. For $150, it doesn’t sound like a bad deal at all. In fact, that’s an average price in bistro sets at this point. Yes, it’s not the most beautiful set you can get, but it has other good points.

So all in all, for $350 you get 4 chairs and a table. However, for $150 you get 2 chairs and one table. That’s less than half of the initial price.

This means that those 2 extra chairs value around $200, which is absurd. That’s why the 5 piece set is a very bad deal, while the other one is a pretty good choice.

My Final Verdict – Is It A Good Investment?

It all depends of what kind of set you’re looking for. If it’s a smaller, basic set for 2 persons, then it’s a very good investment.

However, if you need a larger set as most people do, I wouldn’t really recommend you this product. There are much better options for a much better price, and you would also get a better looking set.

I’m not a fan of its appearance, but it looks decent enough for a simple, basic set. The fabric is also sturdy and resistant, it doesn’t get dirty or scratched and it lasts in good shape for enough time.

The only thing that bothers me is the harsh fabric of the chairs, but even that can be fixed with an extra cushion.

Therefore, I don’t regret buying this set. As I chose the 3 piece one, it was pretty much a bargain and the only thing I had to change in it were the cushions. Other than that, it lasted well enough for its price.

So all in all, the BHG Clayton Court set can make both a good and a bad choice. It all depends on what kind of set you need.

10 Responses

Anne,
Very detailed information on the Clayton Court dinning set. This set is more like a bistro set as you state, it will fit well on a balcony or small patio area. I like the metal finish, I have a similar set that was purchased over 10 years ago, just requires a simple cleaning and touching up if it starts to show any rust anywhere. The cushions should be stored for longer life, I have not found any of the UV protected cushions to withstand any outside weather. Having an outside storage area will let you store these close to the area they are used in.
I like the rocking motion of your chairs. and the fact that the cushions have a strap to hold the cushions in place.
Is the free shipping to your house or do you have to pick up at a store.
John

I’m glad you liked this bistro set, I can’t guarantee it will last as long as yours did (I noticed that furniture’s general quality is lower with every year…:( ) but I can promise it will last in good conditions at least for the next couple of years.

I haven’t found any UV protected cushions either, but now that you reminded me about it, I will keep looking and hopefully I can find something.

Regarding the shipping, I recommend you to buy it from Walmart because they have the lowest price there and they will ship it for free, as long as you don’t want it the next day. 😀 If you do, I think you can pay an extra tax and have it delivered immediately. But if you can wait, they will ship it in less than a week for free.

Very nice dining Patio set. You did a great job on the review with very detailed information. I agree with you that outdoor furniture is expensive, but in my opinion, this set is too expensive if the umbrella is not included. I guess you can find the same type of sets at Biglots for less money, maybe it would worth it look on that store too.

I loved your review on the Clayton Court patio set i found this review to be very informative and interesting and honest. I want to buy a new patio set, and i am very taken with the Clayton Court patio set, i love the look of simplicity of the set, and like you i like the red.
This set is perfect for what i am looking for, can you tell me the umbrella in the photo did you buy it in the same place as the patio set?
I will be bookmarking this site for further reference

I bought the umbrella from the same place, but not together with the set. If you want to check it out, here’s the link. I paid around $65 for it and I can see it’s a little cheaper now, probably depending on the day. So I hope you’re lucky to get a discount.

I’ve been on the hunt for a decent dining set for outdoors but always feel let down but I have to say that I like the look of the Clayton Court 5 Piece dining set. I live in the UK and would need to look on Amazon just worried about the price, the one in your review is a great price. I would have chosen the red but after reading would be more inclined to go with the green now. Living in the UK weather proofing is a must, do you think it would be suitable for our climate?

Considering the set has a waterproof feature, I believe it’s safe enough even for a rainy climate. I let it outside a few times during rain and it remained exactly the same, so i guess that’s good news 🙂